Bitget Wallet will launch Assetback on Aug. 1, allowing eligible card users to convert purchase rewards automatically into Bitcoin, tokenized gold, U.S. equity tokens, an exchange-traded fund token or USDC.
Summary
Seven reward assets include Bitcoin, tokenized gold, three U.S. stocks, an ETF, and USDC options. Eligible cardholders receive 2% base rewards, while qualifying users can unlock 3% during booster periods. Rewards become redeemable seven days after transactions and require at least one USDC before withdrawal. The company said users can select one of seven assets: BTC, Tether Gold, tokenized Nvidia, Tesla and Alphabet shares, an S&P 500 product, or USDC. Rewards will be generated from qualifying purchases made with the Bitget Wallet Card.
Bitget Wallet replaces cash rewards with seven assets Assetback provides a 2% base reward for cardholders. New users and customers who meet a monthly spending threshold can receive up to 3% through a booster tier. Once unlocked, the higher rate applies during that calendar month and the next one.
Users may change their selected reward asset once each month. USDC rewards are credited to the card balance, while other rewards can be moved to a rewards account after reaching at least one USDC in accumulated value. Redemption becomes available seven days after the underlying transaction.
However, the advertised rate does not apply to every payment. Bitget Wallet says monthly caps, merchant-category exclusions and risk reviews apply. Refunded, reversed or cancelled transactions do not qualify. The model also replaces the card’s previous zero-fee rewards program, so users should review regional fees and limits.
Tokenized stocks provide exposure, not standard shares The stock and ETF rewards will use xStocks, which issues blockchain tokens backed by securities held in custody. Available choices include Nvidia, Tesla, Alphabet and an S&P 500-linked product. xStocks says each token is backed one-for-one by underlying securities.
However, tokenized equities are not identical to holding shares through a conventional brokerage account. Rights, redemption access, trading availability and investor protections depend on the issuer, platform and user’s location. Bitget Wallet also describes the rewards as available only to eligible users.
As previously reported, Bitget Wallet added more than 130 xStocks products in May, allowing users to access tokenized equities through its self-custodial application. In related coverage, crypto.news explained how tokenized stocks work, including issuer, custody, liquidity and regulatory risks.
Card access still depends on each user’s region Bitget Wallet says the card serves markets across Europe, Asia and Latin America, with availability also expanding in Africa. Its official card page states that cards may operate through Visa or Mastercard depending on the regional issuing partner. The product supports Apple Pay and Google Pay in eligible markets.
The card converts selected crypto assets to fiat when users pay merchants. Official terms state that customers must complete identity checks and live in supported jurisdictions. The terms also permit applicable conversion, foreign-exchange and other charges, meaning Assetback should not be treated as a guaranteed net return.
Bitget Wallet says it has more than 100 million users and that spending through its card nearly tripled during the first half of 2026. It also cited monthly crypto-card payment volume of $656 million in May, up from $271 million one year earlier. Those figures are company-provided and have not been independently audited.
The Aug. 1 rollout will test actual demand Users will need Bitget Wallet app version 9.5.3 or later to access the updated card. After selecting an asset, eligible cashback will be converted automatically, creating small recurring purchases rather than requiring a separate trade after every card payment.Bitget Wallet describes the process as applying “dollar-cost averaging” to routine spending. That is a company characterization, not a promise that the selected assets will gain value. Bitcoin, tokenized gold and equity-linked products can rise or fall after rewards are credited.
There is no verified market reaction because Bitget Wallet is not publicly traded and the announcement does not introduce a new token. The next measurable updates will be redemption activity, reward volumes and whether regional cardholders adopt non-cash rewards after Aug. 1.
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Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
This is a general announcement. Products and services referred to here may not be available in your region. Fellow Binancians, Binance Square is pleased to introduce a new campaign. Using the Trading Sharing Card widget to share your bStocks and/or TradFi Futures trading on Binance Square, alongside with your trading insights, to grab a share of up to 20,000 USDC token voucher rewards! Activity Period: 2026-07-28 12:00 (UTC) - 2026-08-05 23:59 (UTC)Token Rewards Distribution: Before 2026-08-26 Unlock 20,000 USDC Rewards Today! How to Participate: Follow the steps below and share your bStocks and/or TradFi Futures trading on Binance Square with insights. Step 1: Open the Post Editor and tap [Add Trades].Step 2: Filter by Spot or Futures, select bStocks trade and/or TradFi Futures trade and tap [Confirm] to insert the trade into your post. To share bStocks buy/sell trades, select from the [Trade History] under [Spot]. To share TradFi Futures opened/closed positions, select either current or history positions under [Futures].Step 3: Add your trading insights with #ShareMyTradFi (≥ 50 characters) and tap [Post]. Notes: To make the content an eligible entry, the post and trade need to meet the following requirements:Include all 3 elements (i.e., bStocks or TradFi Futures trade sharing card, #ShareMyTradFi hashtag, and insights of ≥ 50 characters) in the content.The minimum qualified bStocks trading volume per trade-sharing post is 100 USD equivalent.The minimum qualified TradFi Futures trading volume per trade-sharing post is 200 USD equivalent.bStocks buy/sell transactions must be made between 2026-07-28 12:00 (UTC) and 2026-08-05 23:59 (UTC).TradFi Futures positions must be opened between 2026-07-28 12:00 (UTC) and 2026-08-05 23:59 (UTC). Only new TradFi positions opened/closed during the Activity Period are eligible. 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Tradings of all bStocks and TradFi Futures tokens listed on Binance before the end of the Activity Period are eligible to be shared via Trade Sharing Card on Binance Square. Users should share their genuine trading experience. Participants found engaging in suspected use of automated bots will be disqualified from the Activity. Binance reserves the right to disqualify trades that are deemed to be wash trades, illegal bulk account registrations, self-dealing, or display signs of market manipulation, etc. Unlock 20,000 USDC Rewards Today! About Binance Square: Binance Square aims to be the one-stop social platform for the latest trends in Web3. With a vast selection of content from renowned crypto experts, avid enthusiasts and trusted media sources, the platform serves as a bridge between content creators and their followers, customizing users’ feeds based on their respective engagement history. 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The crypto market may be drifting sideways, but a quieter signal suggests participants are not walking away. According to a Santiment update on July 28, Ethereum recently crossed 200 million non-empty wallets for the first time, XRP Ledger and USDC on Ethereum both moved past 8 million holders, and Chainlink surpassed 900,000. The on-chain intelligence platform noted the trend across a period of weak price action, framing it as evidence that adoption keeps building beneath flat markets.
Non-empty wallets measure how many addresses hold a positive balance. They are not unique users—one person can control many wallets—but rising counts still map to more addresses holding value, interacting with decentralized applications, or maintaining a stake in the network. When that number climbs while token prices fail to break out, it can signal that market participants are accumulating or simply refusing to sell, rather than leaving the ecosystem.
Ethereum Leads, Stablecoin Growth Stands Out Ethereum’s jump past 200 million non-empty wallets is the most visible headline, but the movement in USDC on Ethereum and XRP Ledger adds texture. USDC’s expansion fits a stablecoin cycle where Circle has been expanding banking, custody, payments, and minting rails alongside major institutions. As a settlement asset, USDC remains one of the most used in crypto, and rising holder counts suggest it is circulating into more hands, not just sitting in exchange reserves.
XRP Ledger crossing 8 million non-empty wallets and Chainlink surpassing 900,000 show a similar pattern: user growth attached to platforms that are expanding their feature sets. Data from blockchain developer activity rankings continues to place Ethereum among the most active networks, reinforcing the idea that the networks seeing the most wallet additions are also those with significant technical development underway. The alignment of user growth and sustained building activity makes these trends harder to dismiss as noise.
Why the Signal Matters When Prices Don’t Move Market observers often look to on-chain metrics when price action decouples from fundamentals. Sustained wallet growth while markets are flat is not a timing tool. It does not predict the next leg up. But it does suggest that the base of participants is widening, not shrinking. That structural shift can matter later if liquidity returns or sentiment flips. For traders, it shifts the question from “is anyone still here?” to “who has been quietly positioning while the crowd was distracted.”
At the same time, holder counts offer no detail about distribution. Fresh wallets could belong to existing participants rotating funds, or a handful of institutions deploying capital. A rise in non-empty wallets does not automatically mean new retail adoption. Caution is warranted before drawing firm conclusions about user demographics from this single metric.
The broader adoption picture is also reflected in related market segments. Recent moves in real-world asset tokenization pushed total on-chain RWA value past $20 billion, demonstrating that institutional engagement with blockchain infrastructure is deepening across multiple fronts. When combined with wallet growth data, a consistent narrative emerges: more capital, more contracts, and more addresses, even when headline prices are idle.
What Comes Next For the networks highlighted in Santiment’s update, the immediate challenge is converting wallet growth into sustained network activity and fee generation. Rising holder counts without rising transaction volumes or active dapp usage can indicate passive holding rather than genuine utility. Still, the direction of travel matters. In a market where price charts offer little clarity, on-chain adoption patterns provide one of the few remaining anchors for gauging ecosystem health.
The coming weeks will show whether this accumulation trend continues or stalls if macro conditions shift. In the meantime, the data confirms that the quiet periods of the cycle are not necessarily empty ones.
AUTHOR
Max delves deep into the cryptocurrency realm, with a passion for altcoins and NFTs. Convinced of crypto's transformative potential, he envisions a decentralized financial future. Max's background in the financial sector grants him unique insights into global monetary systems. In his leisure, Max embraces the thrill of adventures and is an avid sports enthusiast, finding balance and rejuvenation away from work.
Dedicated Trust Center brings together BingX’s Proof of Reserves, $150 million Shield Fund, internationally certified security standards, and eight-year track record of operations.
BingX, a leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3-AI company, has launched its dedicated Trust Center exhibiting the platform’s security framework, asset transparency, and long-term operational milestones. The initiative reflects BingX’s continued investment in building a resilient platform trusted by more than 40 million users worldwide.
As trust and transparency become increasingly important across the broader industry, BingX continues to strengthen the foundations that support its long-term growth. Over the past eight years, BingX has focused on building trust through consistent operations, transparent asset protection, robust risk management, and a user-first approach.
“Trust is not established overnight, but earned through consistent transparency, reliable operations, and an unwavering commitment to users,” said Pablo Monti, Spokesperson of BingX. “Every milestone, from Proof of Reserves and global compliance to strategic partnerships and product innovation, reflects our commitment to building a platform users can rely on for the long term.”
Building Trust Through Transparency and Security The platform’s trust framework includes 100% Proof of Reserves through monthly Merkle Tree snapshots. According to the latest reserve report on July 15, 2026, BingX maintains a BTC reserve ratio of 142.82%, an ETH reserve ratio of 126.48%, a USDT reserve ratio of 131.83%, and a USDC reserve ratio of 124.41%, demonstrating full backing of user assets.
BingX further strengthens user protection through a US$150 million Shield Fund, together with multi-layer asset protection, multi-signature authorization, tiered cold, warm and hot wallet architecture, real-time risk monitoring and 24/7 global customer support.
The platform has also achieved internationally recognized PCI DSS 4.0.1 and ISO/IEC 27001 certifications, validating its controls across information protection, risk management, operational resilience, and incident response. Regular third-party security assessments further reinforce BingX’s commitment to maintaining a secure trading environment.
Expanding Presence Through Compliance and Innovation Alongside its security framework, BingX continues to expand its global footprint through regulatory progress and product innovation.
The company has advanced its presence in Europe, where BingX EU has submitted an application for authorisation as a crypto-asset service provider on MiCAR, reinforcing its commitment to compliant growth.
BingX is also continuing its evolution into a leading multi-asset trading platform. Through BingX TradFi, eligible users can access traditional financial markets—including stocks, commodities, forex and indices—alongside cryptocurrencies, with products available subject to regional regulations and eligibility requirements.
Trusted by Global Partnerships BingX’s long-term commitment to trust extends beyond its platform through partnerships with globally recognized organizations, reinforcing its credibility and strengthening its presence across international markets.
Its partnership with Chelsea Football Club has continued to grow over the past two years, evolving from Official Sleeve Partner to Official Training Wear Partner and featuring global initiatives such as the “Trained on Greatness” campaign. In 2026, BingX also renewed the partnership, extending a collaboration founded on shared values of discipline, excellence, and continuous improvement.
In 2026, BingX also became Scuderia Ferrari HP’s first-ever crypto exchange partner. The multi-year partnership brings together two global brands built around performance, innovation, and delivering unique experiences to users around the world.
Responsibility Beyond Trading BingX believes trust is built not only through technology and security, but also through meaningful contributions to society.
Supported by a $10 million BingX Charity Fund, the company has contributed to humanitarian relief, education, environmental sustainability, and community development initiatives since 2022. Recent initiatives include a year-long partnership with Save the Children supporting vulnerable children in Bosnia and Herzegovina, disaster relief efforts across Asia, support for communities affected by the 2025 fires in Hong Kong and ongoing educational and environmental programs worldwide.
Through BingX Charity, the company translates its global reach into tangible support for people, communities, and environmental causes worldwide.
About BingX Founded in 2018, BingX is a leading crypto exchange and Web3-AI company, serving over 40 million users worldwide. Ranked among the top five global crypto derivatives exchanges and a pioneer of crypto copy trading, BingX addresses the evolving needs of users across all experience levels.
Powered by a comprehensive suite of AI-driven products and services, including futures, spot, copy trading, and TradFi offerings, BingX empowers users with innovative tools designed to enhance performance, confidence, and efficiency.
BingX has been the principal partner of Chelsea FC since 2024, and became the first official crypto exchange partner of Scuderia Ferrari HP in 2026.
For more information, please visit: https://bingx.com/
BNY is adding blockchain technology to its transfer agency business as the bank expands digital asset services beyond custody and stablecoin support.
BNY Moves Fund Records to Blockchain BNY is launching a digital transfer agency platform to process fund transactions and maintain shareholder records on-chain. The system will create a shared ownership ledger for tokenized funds while the bank keeps its traditional transfer agency in place.
The bank safeguards more than $59 trillion in client assets and services about $8.6 trillion through its transfer agency business. The new platform aims to reduce repeated checks between intermediaries that support fund administration.
BNY Chief Product and Innovation Officer Carolyn Weinberg said the bank is modernizing a function behind fund transactions by bringing the “books and records onchain.” The platform will give asset managers a digital record of ownership for tokenized products.
The bank expects traditional systems to remain active for years. BNY Global Head of Asset Servicing Emily Portney said “trillions and trillions of dollars” in funds will continue using existing rails.
Tokenized Fund Rollout Starts With Major Clients Baillie Gifford will become the first client to use the platform for a fully native U.K.-regulated tokenized fund. BNY’s Dreyfus division and BlackRock are also expected to use the same infrastructure for planned tokenized products.
The platform places BNY inside the growing market for tokenized funds. These products can hold traditional assets, while investor ownership is recorded through blockchain-based tokens.
BNY is also preparing tokenized U.S. Treasuries and pilot transactions on its private blockchain before the end of 2026. A client letter said the bank already executed after-hours Treasury transactions with stablecoin issuers earlier this year.
The bank expects blockchain records to support faster settlement and round-the-clock market operations. Shared records can also reduce manual reconciliation between banks, fund managers, custodians, and other service providers.
BNY Builds on BTC ETH and USDC Services BNY has been expanding digital asset services for several years. The bank created its Digital Assets unit in February 2021 to support multi-asset custody and related infrastructure.
The bank launched Bitcoin and Ethereum custody services in October 2022. That made BNY one of the first large custodian banks to support custody for both assets.
BNY also expanded its work with Circle in June 2026 to support minting and burning for USDC. The move connected the bank more closely with stablecoin settlement and reserve operations.
In May, BNY announced a strategic collaboration with Finstreet Limited and ADI Foundation to offer crypto custody in the Abu Dhabi Global Market. The agreement added another regulated market to BNY’s digital asset push.
BNY’s blockchain transfer agency platform extends that strategy into fund administration. The bank is not replacing its older systems but adding new rails for tokenized funds and blockchain-based ownership records.
If you want global financial firms to protect assets and meet rules, institutional crypto custody solutions are essential.
Bernstein cut its price target on Circle Internet Group (NYSE:CRCL) to $140 from $190 Wednesday but kept its Outperform rating, saying the Open USD consortium threat that hammered the stock will fade.
Why Bernstein Cut The Target But Kept The Bull Case?Analyst Gautam Chhugani said in the note cited by The Block that Circle’s second quarter came in broadly flat, with USDC supply ending Q2 at roughly $73 billion, down from $77 billion in Q1.
Bernstein slashed its end-of-2026 USDC supply estimate by 37% to $83 billion and its 2028 figure by 40% to roughly $170 billion, cutting its 2026 adjusted EBITDA forecast by 12% to $602 million.
At current prices, the $140 target still implies roughly 118% upside. Bernstein kept its 10-year USDC supply growth rate at 32%, with total stablecoin supply expected to reach $4 trillion by 2035 and Circle holding roughly a 30% share.
Why Bernstein Says The Open USD Threat Is Overstated?Bernstein pushed back, noting Circle has been signing memorandums of understanding with the same entities named in the alliance.
A Samsung official said there were no formal consultations on Open USD and the company did not know what role it would play, a comment Bernstein read as evidence the consortium lacks real cohesion.
Visa management said on its latest earnings call it would remain multi-coin and multi-chain rather than backing a single stablecoin.
The Hyperliquid Deal Is The Clearest Drag On RevenueCircle and Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) agreed in May to redirect roughly 90% of reserve income earned on USDC held on Hyperliquid back to the exchange, according to the note.
USDC balances on Hyperliquid climbed from $5 billion to more than $6 billion, with roughly $190 million in annual reserve income flowing to the exchange. The full margin impact hits in Q3.
Why Good News Has Not Helped CRCL?Circle has had two major positive developments in two weeks that the stock ignored. Circle’s national trust bank approval on July 15 sent CRCL down 4.8% that day, as Benzinga reported.
Recent IBM patent acquisition, which made Circle the largest blockchain patent holder in the US, produced a similar non-reaction.
Two milestones in two weeks and CRCL is still pressing into its last support zone before the post-IPO base breaks entirely.
Where Does CRCL Stand Ahead Of Earnings?CRCL drops to $62.75 Wednesday, pressing into the $60 to $62 demand zone, the last meaningful support before the stock loses its post-IPO base entirely.
All four major EMAs sit overhead as resistance: 20-day at $66.48, 50-day at $76.18, 100-day at $84.91, and 200-day at $100.40.
Key levels for CRCL: $66.48 — 20-day EMA, first resistance above $76.18 — 50-day EMA, next ceiling $60 to $62 — demand zone that must hold into earnings Image: Shutterstock
Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs
Ethereum, XRP, USDC, and Chainlink have recorded a surge in the number of non-empty wallets, signaling robust network participation and adoption despite the broader crypto market’s sideways price action. Data from Santiment Intelligence revealed that several leading blockchain networks are seeing consistent growth in address activity as total wallet counts break new records.
Key blockchain networks exceed major wallet milestonesOver the past two weeks, Ethereum surpassed 200 million non-empty wallets for the first time in its history. During the same timeframe, the XRP Ledger and USDC on Ethereum each crossed the 8 million mark for funded addresses, while Chainlink exceeded 900,000 active wallets holding LINK tokens.
Analysts view rising non-empty wallet counts as a straightforward metric demonstrating sustained user engagement and broader adoption. Non-empty wallets often reflect users and institutions that continue to store assets, interact with decentralized applications, or participate in various blockchain ecosystems instead of retreating during periods with minimal price movement.
Ethereum’s expanding base of active wallets underlines its dominant role as a leading smart contract and decentralized finance platform. The network remains a backbone for applications in NFTs, tokenized real-world assets, stablecoins, and enterprise blockchain deployments across the industry.
USDC, XRP, and Chainlink holders rise amid new use casesUSDC’s rapid holder growth is attributed to its expanding real-world utility beyond speculative purpose. As Circle broadens its global banking partnerships and payment infrastructure, USDC has emerged as a widely adopted stablecoin for cross-border transactions, settlements, and within DeFi protocols. The trend indicates a shift as more users hold the token for routine activities.
XRP Ledger continues to expand, mirrored by the steady rise in non-empty wallets. The increased adoption coincides with ongoing developments in cross-border payments, tokenization projects, and enterprise blockchain integrations. Hong Kong recently launched its first licensed retail XRP trading platform, granting retail investors regulated access to XRP and advancing the city’s goal to become a prominent digital asset hub in Asia.
In addition to payments, the XRP ecosystem is diversifying with tokenized shares of major companies, AI-powered payment systems utilizing XRP and RLUSD, fresh partnerships with Mastercard, and new developer grants intended to spur further ecosystem expansion.
Chainlink’s growing adoption also reflects the expanding need for reliable decentralized oracles within blockchain environments. As more projects integrate Chainlink’s services to facilitate tokenization, cross-chain operations, and institutional blockchain use, the utility demand for LINK tokens has increased steadily.
Santiment Intelligence highlighted that rising holder counts across Ethereum, the XRP Ledger, USDC, and Chainlink indicate broader adoption, an expanding user base, and the formation of a strong foundation for future market growth cycles despite flat prices.
Tools for tracking and responding to crypto adoptionAs technical indicators highlight continued expansion in non-empty wallets—often used to monitor network health and growth—investors and market participants are placing greater emphasis on platforms that provide real-time data and investment management. CryptoAppsy, which requires no account creation hassle, combines your crypto investments with real-time prices, detailed charts, and multi-currency portfolio management on a single screen. With this all-in-one financial assistant, users can instantly seize opportunities by setting up smart price alerts, filter news specific to selected coins, discover newly listed altcoins as they launch, and monitor critical macroeconomic events such as Fed interest rates to stay ahead of the market.
Altogether, while market prices may remain stable, the consistent increase in non-empty wallets for top blockchain networks illustrates continued growth in user activity and adoption across the crypto sector.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
Circle’s Senior Director of EU Strategy and Policy Patrick Hansen (@paddi_hansen) published an article noting that since the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation took effect, roughly 35 electronic money tokens (EMTs) from 21 institutions have secured compliance certifications. Banks and e-money institutions are entering the space, with strong local issuance momentum. However, among the world’s top 50 stablecoins, only three—USDC, USDG, and EURC—currently meet MiCA requirements, while the rest operate outside the regulatory framework, leaving EU users facing a dual dilemma: either insufficient protection or forced access restrictions. Hansen argues that for MiCA to truly serve as a global regulatory benchmark, two goals must be achieved in parallel: first, drive local EMTs to go global via a competitive regulatory regime; second, establish a recognition mechanism for overseas compliant stablecoins to attract global issuers to join the MiCA framework, rather than making local issuance the sole entry path.
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Out of the 50 largest stablecoins by market capitalization, exactly three have cleared Europe’s MiCA regulatory hurdle. Circle says those three are USDC, EURC, and USDG, a tally that should make every other stablecoin issuer operating in the EU a little uncomfortable.
The MiCA compliance landscape is remarkably thin Fewer than 15 stablecoins currently hold active MiCA authorization as e-money tokens. When you narrow the lens to the top 50 by market cap, that number drops to just three.
Circle leads the pack. The company secured its MiCA authorization in July 2024, becoming the first global stablecoin issuer to receive a French e-money license from the ACPR. That license covers both USDC, its dollar-pegged flagship, and EURC, its euro-denominated counterpart, across the entire European Economic Area.
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The third member of this exclusive club is USDG, issued by Paxos. USDG received its MiCA authorization through FIN-FSA in Finland in November 2024, with its EU market launch following by July 2025.
What MiCA actually demands MiCA requires issuers to prove their tokens are fully backed, publish detailed white papers, maintain transparent reserve structures, and submit to ongoing regulatory oversight.
Circle conducts monthly attestations of its reserves and updated its MiCA-compliant white papers for both USDC and EURC in December 2025. Those updates aligned the documents with the final technical regulatory standards established by the EU.
The broader authorized landscape includes a handful of smaller euro-pegged stablecoins like EURI. But none of these smaller tokens rank among the top 50 by market cap.
Why this matters for the market For the compliant tokens, MiCA authorization functions as something close to a regulatory moat. When a European bank, asset manager, or payment processor wants to integrate stablecoins into their operations, the field narrows to USDC, EURC, and USDG, giving Circle and Paxos a structural advantage in the EU market.
For Tether’s USDT, the world’s largest stablecoin, the absence from this compliant list is particularly notable. Whether Tether pursues MiCA authorization, or cedes the European market to competitors, will be one of the more consequential strategic decisions in the stablecoin space.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
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South Korea's financial authorities will hold an emergency meeting starting at 17:00 Beijing time.
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According to official announcements, Bitget’s Unified Trading Account (UTA) has launched an interest-free lending program for USDGO holdings. The event runs from 15:00 UTC+8 on July 29 to 15:00 UTC+8 on August 29. During the period, users holding USDGO who borrow USDT via their UTA will receive an interest-free lending quota equivalent to 30% of their USDGO holdings’ value, with a per-user cap of 10 million USDT. Relevant benefits will automatically take effect during the event, no manual registration or application required. For more details, please refer to Bitget’s official platform.
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The three-month campaign runs through Merkl across 80+ 1INCH markets, with BNB Chain named as the first co-incentive partner.
1inch launched its Aqua liquidity protocol to the public on July 28, backing the release with a rewards program funded with 10 million 1INCH from the 1inch Foundation and 500,000 USDC from the 1inch DAO, the company said.
The program, called 1inch Network Incentives, is delivered through incentive platform Merkl and led by Degensoft Ltd, a British Virgin Islands entity. It is designed to drive liquidity and swap activity across supported pairs on Aqua, which went live on 13 EVM chains including Ethereum, Arbitrum, Base, BNB Chain and Robinhood Chain, following a developer-only launch in November 2025.
Shared Liquidity LayerAqua is a self-custodial shared liquidity layer: instead of depositing tokens into pools, a liquidity provider approves a wallet balance that multiple positions can quote against. When a swap order matches a position, the protocol pulls the tokens from the wallet and pushes back the received tokens and fees in one atomic transaction. Until that moment, the tokens stay in the provider's wallet.
The design lets the same balance back several quotes at once — $100,000 in a wallet can support three positions collectively quoting $300,000, with execution capped by what the wallet actually holds. Positions can be full range, concentrated or pegged, with no lock-ups.
"The liquidity provisioning space is broken, but you only see how broken once there's an alternative," said 1inch co-founder Sergej Kunz in the announcement. "With Aqua, liquidity providers no longer have to accept the inefficient pool structure they've put up with for years."
Case Against Pools1inch is aiming the launch at what it says is widespread waste in DEX liquidity. Per onchain research by Dune commissioned by 1inch, 85% of concentrated liquidity across major DEXs sat underutilized in the first half of 2026 — roughly $1.6 billion of the $1.84 billion tracked — including about $542 million fully out of range in an average week, for an estimated $150 million in foregone fees per year.
Aqua has been through eight independent audits, by OpenZeppelin, Bailsec, Hashlock, Hexens, MixBytes, Nethermind, Theori and Decurity. Providers still bear market and smart-contract risk, and swap fees are not guaranteed; the design bounds exposure to tokens actually held, and single-owner positions remove the shared fee event that just-in-time liquidity bots exploit in pooled AMMs.
Incentives ProgramsIncentive programs funded in native tokens are DeFi's standard playbook for bootstrapping liquidity, and they tend to buy volume only as long as emissions last. The more consequential test is whether Aqua's registry model — quoting from wallets rather than locking capital in pools — retains providers once the 10 million 1INCH runs out. If capital efficiency claims hold, professional market makers get pool-level reach without custody handoff, which is the audience 1inch needs to win over from established AMMs.
Seagate rose more than 5% in after-hours trading, with Q4 revenue and adjusted earnings per share both beating expectations.
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Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
Core Scientific increases its Bitcoin holdings by 301, bringing its total BTC holdings to 848.
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The stablecoin issuer acquired more than 680 patent families from IBM for an undisclosed sum, strengthening its IP position across USDC, Arc, and AI-agent payments.
Original Image Credits: Thrive Studios ID / Shutterstock.com
Posted July 28, 2026 at 6:32 am EST.
Circle (CRCL) has acquired close to 1,000 issued blockchain patents from IBM, a purchase the stablecoin issuer says makes it the biggest holder of blockchain patents in the United States. The deal deepens Circle’s intellectual property position as it expands its onchain financial infrastructure.
The patent portfolio comprises more than 680 patent families spanning foundational blockchain technology, banking, financial services, insurance, enterprise infrastructure, supply-chain verification, and cloud security, according to Circle. The financial terms were not disclosed. Circle also did not say how many of the patents were issued in the U.S. or whether IBM retained any licensing rights.
This story is an excerpt from the Unchained Daily newsletter.
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A large patent estate strengthens Circle’s claim over core technology as competitors crowd into stablecoins and onchain payments. Circle said the IP would support USDC, the Circle Payments Network, its Arc blockchain, and financial tools designed for AI agents.
Circle received its first patent in December 2023 and had joined the LOT Network to protect its products from patent-assertion firms. Circle and IBM said they plan to explore additional commercial opportunities together.
This month Circle won final federal approval to establish a national trust bank, Circle National Trust. Circle is set to report second-quarter results on August 5.
Related Listen: The Chopping Block: Visa, Mastercard & 140 Firms Take On Circle, Saylor’s Digital Credit Reset & the DAO Reckoning
AI-assisted content: This article was produced with the assistance of AI tools and was reviewed, edited, and fact-checked by a member of the Unchained editorial team before publication.
To what extent does your yield come from genuine economic activity, including actual business paying actual interest on an actual loan?
I worked on that question longer than my expectation. I got the information about the total APR on each of the positions in my wallet. I was also informed about the pool recompensing in emissions as well as the one rewarding in fees. However, I couldn’t always find the information about the actual activity of my capital.
This included questions like: what was my capital funding? What occurred while it was earning? And who was on the opposite side? A large amount of DeFi yield, when traced back, turns out to be circular. It includes capital enabling additional capital to deal with more DeFi activities.
Though it is not bad, I didn’t think I was joining such a setup when I began investing in this sector. That was the reason I came across crowdlending, and at last 8lends. At first, crowdlending appeared to be a niche Web2 market. I thought it was a legacy class that was not related to crypto. Then, I focused on the actual participants behind it, finding out that the assumption was not correct.
What Crowdlending Actually Is Exactly as the title implies, crowdlending includes a group of investors who pool capital for funding loans, rather than a banking entity performing it solely. The role of the investor is straightforward, as you’re not making an equity buyout, lending money straight to a borrower pool or a single borrower for interest, or staking any of the governance tokens.
On the other hand, the most suitable analogy for those knowing about DeFi is that it is like a bond. However, the issuer is a small business rather than a corporation or a government. Additionally, yield is recompensed because someone is really utilizing your capital to carry out their operations, and not because some protocol is releasing tokens to get liquidity.
Particularly, there are a couple of wider categories of this, with one being peer-to-peer (P2P) crowdlending. It funds personal loans and individuals, typically without any collateral, with 10% to 14% yields and significantly limited recovery in the case of something going wrong. However, peer-to-business (P2B) crowdlending funds medium- and small-sized businesses.
It seems structurally different, as loans get support from real assets such as real estate, vehicles, or equipment. Additionally, this category has annual 19-25% yields in $USDC. Apart from that, the P2B model has the least connection to crypto cycles. So, this warehouse of equipment does not care about the performance of Bitcoin ($BTC).
8lends runs a P2B model, which I want to explore here. The most surprising thing about this model was not its mechanics but the scale. The crowdlending market has been operating since the year 2005, working wholly autonomously of the crypto sector for nearly 20 years. One of the biggest platforms in this landscape is Mintos, which has facilitated over €12.8 billion in loans since 2015 across hundreds of thousands of investors
Since the month of November 2023, the ECSPR model of the EU has required mandatory and unified regulation across all crowdlending entities working in the bloc. For context, most of today’s DeFi lending infrastructure was built in roughly that same window. Nonetheless, crowdlending enjoys a 20-year head start in the case of solving many of the issues that DeFi is currently working through, including collateral, borrower verification, and credit risk.
So, the actual question, once one knows that, is not about the legitimacy of crowdlending, but what happens after its merger with seamless crypto rails. 8lend is the platform that tries to answer the respective question.
Introduction to 8lends: A Popular Crowdlending Platform The reason I started using 8lends is not a crypto-based team that experiments with lending services for the first time. Rather, it is a developed lending business that brings an already-proven mechanism on-chain.
8lends works as a blockchain-powered investment entity that permits people to invest in medium- and small-sized businesses across the globe. Maclear AG and the team backing it built 8lends, which went live in 2025. Additionally, Maclear had reportedly processed over $89M in terms of investments across over 32,000 investors in more than 5 years even before 8lends.
Additionally, Maclear operated as and is still operating in the form of a Web2 business. The euro-denominated project moved money through SEPA transfers, open only to investors in Europe. It operated, but it was organically shut off from a worldwide crypto audience.
Keeping this in view, 8lends follows the same lending framework as well as redevelops the distribution area to deal with Web3. For this purpose, it focuses on $USDC in comparison with euros. Additionally, it settles on an open network — Base, Coinbase’s L2 — rather than a closed system or a bank’s internal ledger you have to take on trust.
After delving into the tagline “real lending, rebuilt for Web3,” I think it is the real description instead of marketing copy. Simultaneously, 8lends has collected over $10M across over 1,600 investors following its launch. The average yearly returns of the project stand between 19 and 25% in terms of $USDC, while the minimum investment amount accounts for 100 $USDC.
Additionally, it operates on Base, with $USDC being used for the denomination of everything. Along with that, Cyberscope and Certik provide services to audit smart contracts. Moving on, Maclear AG keeps offering services in the form of a Swiss legal platform and a Collateral Agent.
Actual Working of the Model At the start, you invest, beginning at the $100 USDC spot, into a particular business operating within a validated collateral backing it. The smart contract is then locked in for the duration, collateral terms, and rate, while none of the respective factors can be changed in the mid-term. Additionally, the business recompenses interest in $USDC on a monthly basis at the fixed rate at the time of investment.
The agreement deals with what is revealed, not a company’s token, $USDC, or a variable rate. Following that, your principal amount, at maturity, returns in a complete one-bullet repayment. My loan term ran for 4-16 months in total. Below that, the part in which I spent significant time was the validation of investor funds within a smart contract that does not have any direct access to the platform.
The Base blockchain records every single payment, letting you pull up a block explorer while also seeing the transfer yourself. For this purpose, there is no requirement for login or trust on the dashboard. Additionally, the code is open, and Cyberscope and Certik have audited it, and you can read their reports.
I myself did a 10-minute version by opening the explorer and found a transfer. Then, it validated that it matched what was said by the dashboard. So, that is a notably different experience in comparison with most of the DeFi products, where the purpose of “verified” focuses on the trust in the UI.
Where Your Capital Goes? This is the section that differentiates 8lends from the majority of the operations I came across before. In the majority of cases, in a staking position or a liquidity pool, I really couldn’t figure out the productive operation my funds were backing. However, on 8lends, each of the project cards presents a certain story, a named entity, an industry, a country. It also includes what the purpose of the loan is, the pledging of physical assets in the form of collateral, the autonomous credit assessment, and the core financial metrics. Thus, you are clearly funding a firm rather than a protocol.
A thing that led me to a halt included the interest rates as the 19-25% APR in USDC rate felt notably high to be counted as a red flag, but that wasn’t the case. In Western Europe, the usual bank rates regarding SMBs run between 4% and 6% annually, and there is fierce competition for valuable clients. At the same time, loans are severely made against capital flow instead of hard collateral. Authorization can take 2-4 weeks for crowdlending, while a bank requires 2-6 months.
On the other hand, in Eastern Europe, the area accounting for several 8lends borrowers, bank rates work between 7% and 10% while credit access remains restricted by a few dominant banks. Additionally, there is a need for hard collateral such as real estate, and authorization timelines expand even longer. The increased rate does not indicate desperation, as it underscores the market price of more accessible and faster capital for diverse businesses. These businesses possess real revenue and real assets but cannot afford to wait for months for the bank’s decision.
Each of the projects also displays a risk-scoring block, while I’ve begun dealing with it in the way I would deal with a credit memo. So, loan-to-value (LTV) underscores the loan amount that is divided by the value of the collateral. A lower amount highlights more buffer in case more liquidation is ever needed. In this respect, my filter includes anything lower than 70%. Debt-to-equity divides total debt by owner equity; below 2 is comfortable, and 2–2.5 is acceptable depending on the sector.
Along with that, credit history focuses on the evaluation of the repayment portfolio of the borrower by the compliance team. Additionally, Total Risk Score is responsible for the aggregation of all this via a AAA-through-D rating. It is mostly leveraged for the diversification across risk tiers in comparison with picking individual contracts.
And, at the back of all this is Maclear AG in the form of Collateral Agent, which is a Swiss-based legal platform that holds the collateral of every borrower on behalf of the investors. It also initiates foreclosure in the case of a default occurrence, with the proportional distribution of the proceeds. That serves as a legally binding operation within Swiss financial law rather than a platform promise.
How Are Earnings Made? The center of the return takes into account fixed interest that is recompensed between 19% and 25% on an annual basis in $USDC. It is fixed within the smart contract when you invest. Then it is recompensed on a monthly basis, with zero entry, holding, or exit fees. Therefore, it is worth noting what I was engaged in ahead of finding 8lends. Specifically, staking yield is generated from protocol or token emissions, usually between 3 and 12% APR. It is then recompensed via a protocol token without any impermanent loss.
However, it has straight correlation to the wider market and usually has low rate predictability. Emissions and fees generate LP pool yield that ranges between 5% and 80% APY. It carries real, usually noteworthy impermanent loss on the market correlation’s top. DeFi lending yield, coming from different crypto-collateralized borrowers, normally runs 2-10% APY, with increased market correlation and medium predictability.
The P2B model of 8lends gains yield from substantial interest that a real business pays, providing a 19-25% APR via $USDC. It does not have any impermanent loss, with high predictability and the least market correlation, as the rate remains fixed since the time you invest. Honestly, in my opinion, the comparison of 19-25% APR through $USDC with strict and fixed terms appears structurally distinct. Hence, it is dissimilar to the identical headline figure tied to a token that could possibly be worth 50% as much when you intend to exit.
It doesn’t mean that one is comparatively better; rather, they are not the same instruments and carry distinct risks. When it comes to my active position, a P2B loan is given to a logistics firm with a 21% APR. Up till now, each of the monthly payments has landed on time in $USDC, as mentioned in the contract. That is the detail that I would intend to see ahead of trusting any platform with additional capital. Normally, such details are missing from most of the reviews.
Additionally, each investment earns a 6% bonus in $8LNDS via the Proof of Loan mechanic. The reward contract buys $8LNDS on the open market, burns the tokens, and mints an equivalent amount to the investor, keeping circulating supply stable rather than inflationary.
The respective 6% rate is reportedly fixed at the moment of launch and may lower gradually parallel to the platform’s scaling. It also rests at up to 2.5% each week over up to ten months without requiring any claiming. Nonetheless, as campaign terms may change over time, you should check the present status if reading at a time well after this publication.
What Safeguards Your Funds In my opinion, “regulated” and “audited” are not the magic words after which a conversation concerning risk ends. Therefore, here is the solid version of the actual funds protection that an investor is provided with on 8lends.
The 1st layer is a smart-contract custody where your capital stands in a contract that cannot be accessed by the platform. Its code is public and audited by Cyberscope and Certik. Each of the payments is autonomously verifiable through Base without the platform login. Following that, the 2nd layer includes the role of Maclear AG in the form of a Collateral Agent. It is a Swiss legal platform that holds borrower collateral within a legally binding setup.
When it comes to a borrower default, in one scenario, an autonomous partner purchases back the position for the total principal amount and interest. In the other case, the collateral faces liquidation. There is one written default in the history of Maclear, and the complete principal was finally recovered for each investor in that certain project. The legal procedure took time as such procedures do, but the outcome took place. That is governed under Swiss financial regulation, not a whitepaper.
Subsequently, the 3rd layer includes the borrower screening, taking into account a 40-point validation procedure. Nearly ninety percent of applications are rejected following this compliance review. Specifically, financial statements undergo analysis, and collateral experiences autonomous valuation. Particularly, one can see all this on the project card ahead of committing a dollar.
As a result, this is a clear difference to remember if you have a DeFi background. On Compound or Aave, collateral denotes a crypto asset with auto-liquidation at the time its price slumps below a threshold. Nevertheless, here, collateral works as a physical business asset, including vehicle fleet, real estate, or equipment. Its value is not influenced by Bitcoin’s ($BTC) performance.
Taking the First Step Signing up was more rapid than I anticipated. The 8lends.io registration includes just an email and password. KYC operates via Sumsub, which is a verification platform utilized broadly across compliant financial products. For me, it took just 12 minutes with document uploading and a selfie. From that point, you link a Web3 wallet. I connected MetaMask, although Coinbase Wallet and several other compatible options are also working. There is no point where the platform requires a seed phrase.
The marketplace is just like a financial terminal instead of a usual DeFi dashboard. It presents the firm name, industry, country, credit rating, which ranges between AAA and D, term for the project, and APR. Every card expands into collateral valuation, borrower documents, risk-scoring block, and financial metrics. Thus, the information revealed about an 8lends borrower surpasses what the majority of DeFi protocols display about their internal mechanics.
My Honest Opinion on the Token In my straightforward opinion, I think readers can clearly identify when a writer endeavors to hype a token that they don’t trust. $8LNDS is an incentive and marketing asset operating within the 8lends network. It does not act as a governance token or a revenue-share tool, or even an equity. The purpose that it serves is just to facilitate active investors with rewards. Its distribution is wholly on-chain via smart contract encoding.
My approach is to assess 8lends in line with the $USDC yield coming from the core loans first. Then, I’ll separately focus on the $8LNDS component, with different conservative assumptions. Any increase denotes an added benefit. But if it is not the case, the core investment still makes complete sense on its own. Thus, $8LNDS works as an incentive layer, with its future value being genuinely uncertain. Nobody, even the team, actually knows about its future worth.
A Brief Description of the Bonus Program A real bonus structure works on the top, as is the case with every promotional program. As the eligibility and terms can change, you should confirm the exclusive status ahead of depending on any of this. Latest investors receive a welcome bonus of $30 on an initial investment of up to $ 100 USDC at minimum. Proof of Loan, mentioned above, adds nearly 6% in $8LNDS tokens to each investment.
Additionally, a time-limited RetroDrop pays 0.001 $USD in $8LNDS for each of the invested $USDC. The distribution occurs automatically every week. At the same time, the referral program project pays six percent of investments carried out via your link, through $USDC. Moreover, when Galxe or Zealy community programs are active, the top ten participants get 5,000 $8LNDS, and each of the next hundred earns 2,222 $8LNDS.
Strengths and Weaknesses Strengths · High fixed returns: Earn up to 25% APR in USDC, with rates locked in at the time of investment.
· Real-world asset backing: Loans are secured by physical assets rather than crypto collateral.
· Regulated framework: Operates under Maclear AG, a Swiss-regulated collateral agent with AML, GDPR, and KYC compliance.
· Strong track record: One recorded default in five years, with full principal recovered for every investor.
· Independent security audits: Smart contracts have been audited by Cyberscope and CertiK.
· Low entry requirement: Start investing with as little as 100 USDC.
· No investor fees: No entry, holding, or exit fees are charged.
· On-chain transparency: Every payment can be independently verified on the blockchain.
· Bonus incentives: New users receive a $30 welcome bonus, while the referral program offers 6% USDC rewards.
Weaknesses · Limited platform history: Although backed by Maclear’s experience, 8lends itself launched in 2025, giving it a relatively short operating history.
· Capital lock-up: Investments remained locked for the full loan term, typically 4–16 months.
· Requires Web3 knowledge: Users need a compatible crypto wallet and a basic understanding of DeFi.
· USDC only: No direct fiat deposits or bank transfer support.
· Uncertain token value: The long-term value of the $8LNDS reward token is not guaranteed.
· Lengthy default resolution: If collateral liquidation becomes necessary, recovering funds may take several months depending on the legal process.
Risks Involved In my opinion, no review earns credibility if its risk section includes just 3 lines at the end. Thus, here is a complete version as any investment includes a list of risks related to capital loss. 8lends provides instruments to adequately manage that risk.
Credit risk includes the possibility that a particular borrower just doesn’t repay. The respective risk is linked to an individual borrower rather than market-wide volatility. Though a 40-point screening procedure triggered the bar notably, it does not make any defaults impractical. The one written default in the history of Maclear is where the complete principal was ultimately recovered. It is a positive point but not a guarantee of the same resolution next time.
Collateral realization pattern matters if a default surges to liquidation. That leads to a legal process, and can take months to more than a year based on the asset type and jurisdiction. Capital may return, but it won’t return rapidly.
Liquidity risk comes after the lock-up. Mine funds were committed between 4 and 16 months. This is not a spot for capital you might require on short notice.
Smart contract risk remains real irrespective of the Cyberscope and Certik audits, as no auditing amount can guarantee that a Web3 contract has become completely exploit-proof.
Collateral market valuation keeps changing according to schedule. Real estate markets shift, and equipment depreciates. That is the reason behind LTV’s importance. A decreased LTV provides more space for a price drop ahead of an actual loss.
Concentration Risk is structural rather than being optional. You should spread funds across geographies, industries, and borrowers and deal with crowdlending allocation just like a bond portfolio, without any position above almost 10-15% of the cumulative.
The protection structure, including the borrower screening, the smart-contract custody, and the Collateral Agent, minimizes the above-mentioned scenario to a notable extent. Nonetheless, it does not eliminate the risk by 100%, so knowing about the actual working of the mechanism carries more weight in comparison with a single number that a project card carries.
My Final Take APR was not what attracted me, as I’ve witnessed higher numbers several times, normally associated to something that cannot be explained. I could really trace each dollar to a certain business, or a particular asset. Furthermore, I could trace a particular legal structure standing behind the respective projects and validate the majority of that without depending on a dashboard.
What I would still want to see developing is a longer autonomous track record covering 8lends, particularly distinct from Maclear’s. Additionally, there should be more transparency concerning the sustainability of the potential value of $8LNDS parallel to the advancement of the incentive program.
In my portfolio, I’m not using this as an alternative to DeFi positions. I treat it as a separate type of exposure. It is adequate for a person who seeks real-world-backed yield. Additionally, it is also suitable for the one who is comfortable locking funds for months, while also willing to utilize time actually examining project cards rather than chasing the top number. Nevertheless, it is not adequate for the one who requires liquidity at any time, or anyone who is not ready to accept that “regulated” and “audited” decrease risk without eliminating it.
Keeping this in view, if you are willing to delve into it, begin with a small amount, carefully examine the project cards, and categorize it as a distinct sleeve within your portfolio. Sign up via this referral link to get a welcome bonus of $30 on your initial investment.
Not investment advice. The $8LNDS token works as an incentive layer in the network rather than a guaranteed return or an equity. Just like any investment, a capital loss risk remains. So, make your decisions autonomously in line with your risk tolerance and analysis.
My Rating: 4.6 / 5 Returns: 4.7/5. (19-25%) APR through $USDC and static at entry is actually differentiated. It is not 5 just because the own history of the platform is short.
Security: 5/5. A Swiss-regulated Collateral Agent that has a clear track record, dual audits, and smart-contract custody.
Transparency: 5/5. Public audit reports, transparent borrower documentation, and on-chain verification raise the bar.
Ease of Use: 4.6/5. KYC, investing, and registration were all smooth; the wallet/DeFi prerequisites are the things that lower it from a perfect rating in the case of less experienced consumers.
What Did Circle Actually Buy?According to a press release, the portfolio covers more than 680 patent families and nearly 1,000 issued patents spanning foundational blockchain technology, banking, financial services, insurance, enterprise infrastructure, supply chain verification, and secure cloud operations.
However, financial terms were not disclosed.
Circle said the patents directly support its USDC (CRYPTO: USDC) stablecoin, Circle Payments Network, Arc platform, and a growing suite of on-chain products and agentic financial tools.
The two companies also plan to explore additional commercial opportunities.
“IBM has been a pioneer in technological innovation, and this acquisition expands Circle’s ability to advance the infrastructure that powers global, internet-native finance,” said Sarah Wilson, Circle’s General Counsel.
Why Scott Melker Says IBM Just CapitulatedCrypto analyst Scott Melker said on X that IBM spent years developing enterprise blockchain technology and then walked away from it entirely, with Circle picking up the entire IP position at what he called a massive exit.
“IBM just capitulated,” Melker said, adding that the acquisition is really about building a moat as stablecoin competition accelerates and every major institution races to launch tokenized asset products.
His read is that Circle now holds the patent protection needed to build across payments, RWA, and stablecoin infrastructure without facing the same level of competitive pressure from new entrants who would otherwise build on similar foundational technology.
CRCL Price Analysis: Key Levels To Watch After IBM DealCRCL trades 2.9% below its 20-day SMA at $64.90 and remains well below its 50-day SMA at $81.78 and 200-day SMA at $91.28, down 64.57% over the past 12 months.
The death cross formed in June keeps the longer-term structure bearish.
MACD sits above its signal line with a positive histogram, pointing to easing downside pressure even as the bigger trend stays in repair mode.
Key levels for CRCL: $73 — resistance where rebounds have stalled $58.50 — support near a recent pivot zone above the 52-week low of $49.90 Photo via Shutterstock
Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs
Circle Internet Group announced on July 27, 2026, that it has acquired more than 680 patent families and nearly 1,000 issued blockchain patents worldwide from IBM in a single transaction, making Circle the largest blockchain patent holder in the United States.
The portfolio directly underpins Circle’s core products: USDC, the Circle Payments Network (CPN), and Arc, the company’s enterprise-grade blockchain infrastructure.
CRCL, the publicly traded stock of Circle, is trading at $65.67, up about +5% in the past 24 hours as investors digest this major news. The market cap for CRCL is $17.5Bn.
$CRCL is acquiring $IBM blockchain patent portfolio adding nearly 1,000 issued patents across more than 680 patent families worldwide.
The deal significantly expands Circle’s intellectual property base as it builds out its stablecoin and payments infrastructure. pic.twitter.com/2U0A6PvIdI
— Shay Boloor (@StockSavvyShay) July 27, 2026
What Circle Just Bought and Why It Matters The IBM blockchain patent portfolio spans foundational distributed-ledger technology, banking and financial services workflows, insurance infrastructure, supply-chain verification, and secure cloud operations. That breadth signals Circle is not just defending its stablecoin business; it is staking a claim across the full stack of institutional and enterprise onchain finance.
IBM built much of this IP over a decade of enterprise blockchain R&D, including work tied to Hyperledger Fabric, an open-source permissioned ledger framework, and partnerships with major corporates in shipping and food traceability, according to background research. With this IP acquisition, that foundational layer now belongs outright to Circle rather than sitting inside a legacy technology conglomerate.
Deal terms and purchase price were not disclosed. Circle and IBM also stated they plan to explore additional commercial opportunities beyond the sale, leaving the door open for technical collaborations or further licensing arrangements.
Strategic Value: Defense First, Then the Offense Owning a large patent portfolio outright, as an asset purchase rather than a license, gives Circle three distinct levers: a litigation shield against infringement claims targeting USDC or CPN, the freedom to build new products without stepping around third-party IP, and potential cross-licensing leverage with banks and fintechs entering the onchain payments space.
Analysts covering the deal characterize the near-term priority as defensive, protecting Circle’s existing infrastructure from IP disputes as institutional adoption of stablecoins accelerates. The scale of blockchain adoption by major financial institutions has intensified precisely the kind of IP competition this portfolio is designed to neutralize.
Sarah Wilson, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Circle, said the acquisition expands Circle’s ability to advance the infrastructure that powers global, internet-native finance, calling IBM a pioneer in technological innovation whose IP now strengthens Circle’s onchain mission.
What This Means for Circle’s Product Roadmap
(SOURCE: Yahoo Finance)
Circle explicitly ties the newly acquired IP to USDC, the Circle Payments Network, and Arc, its enterprise blockchain described as the Economic OS for the internet, as well as a growing suite of agentic financial tools.
Market watchers are now looking for concrete deployments: new compliance features, settlement mechanisms, or supply-chain verification capabilities inside Arc and CPN that demonstrate how the patents reshape Circle’s product roadmap in practice.
The deal also reflects a broader shift in blockchain IP ownership, with foundational enterprise patents moving from legacy tech firms toward crypto-native financial platforms.
For the financial services and securities infrastructure now being built on blockchain rails, the question of who controls foundational IP is increasingly consequential, and Circle just answered it emphatically in its own favor.
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Native USDC deposits and withdrawals on Injective are now live on Kraken, one of the world’s largest crypto platforms.
Kraken clients can now move USDC directly between the platform and Injective without having to withdraw to another blockchain or completing a separate crosschain transfer. The integration creates a direct onramping path into Injective’s onchain markets, tokenization infrastructure, payment rails and applications.
Direct Exchange Access to Native USDCUSDC on Injective is issued natively by Circle. It gives users and institutions a 1:1 dollar-denominated asset for trading, settlement, payments and onchain capital allocation.
When an exchange does not support Injective directly, moving USDC onto the network requires users to withdraw on another chain and complete a separate crosschain transfer.
Injective USDC support on Kraken removes that extra network hop. Kraken clients can withdraw USDC directly to an Injective address, put the asset to work onchain and deposit it back to Kraken through the same network.
That matters for any financial system built around active capital. Every added transfer, interface and network selection creates friction. Direct deposits and withdrawals reduce those steps with a clear route into Injective.
Once on Injective, native USDC can move across an onchain financial system built for fast execution and near-zero fees. Users can access spot and derivatives markets, interact with tokenized assets, settle payments and use applications built around programmable dollars.
From INJ Trading to Network SecurityKraken listed INJ for trading in August 2021. The listing gave Kraken clients access to the native asset used for transaction fees, staking, governance and network security across Injective.
Kraken also operates an institutional validator on Injective, giving institutions another way to participate in non-custodial staking and help secure the network.
In 2025, Pineapple used Kraken’s validator as one of the major nodes supporting its $100 million INJ Digital Asset Treasury. Kraken helped connect that institutional capital to Injective’s proof of stake network.
Native USDC support adds another layer. The relationship now spans INJ trading, staking, validator infrastructure, institutional treasury support and direct stablecoin movement.
Kraken Brings Scale to Injective’s Dollar RailsKraken has operated since 2011 and is one of the world’s largest digital asset platforms. It is trusted by millions worldwide and reported $2.0 trillion in total platform transaction volume for 2025.
Today’s news means clients can now use Kraken to access USDC natively on the first blockchain purpose-built for finance. Injective USDC support on Kraken both expands access to the native dollar liquidity used across the ecosystem and provides clients with a direct route to using USDC on Injective for onchain trading,tokenization, payments and programmable financial applications.
Get StartedOn Kraken, select USDC and choose either Deposit or Withdraw. Select Injective as the network and verify the destination address before confirming the transfer.
Only send USDC through a network supported by Kraken.
Get started with Kraken
About InjectiveInjective is the first blockchain purpose-built for finance, enabling users, institutions, and AI agents to trade, tokenize, and transact at scale. Proudly made in America, Injective provides foundational blockchain infrastructure for global markets, with embedded financial primitives spanning stablecoins, real-world assets, payments, and programmable perpetuals through a unified onchain engine. Injective is used by Fortune 500 companies, banks, fintechs, and governments to power an open economy where any asset can be accessed anytime, from anywhere. Builders can deploy across multiple virtual machines like WASM and EVM, connect to native financial modules, and launch markets with deep liquidity from day one. INJ is the native token powering the rapidly growing Injective ecosystem and the new internet economy.
Coinbase Markets is putting its newly launched USDC-BRL trading pair through an auction phase, a controlled price-discovery process the exchange uses when onboarding new pairs. The auction will run for a minimum of 10 minutes, during which traders can place limit orders but no transactions will actually match until a closing price is established.
How the auction works During the auction window, the order book accepts only limit orders. Market orders are not allowed.
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As orders accumulate, the system displays an indicative opening price. This gives participants visibility into where the market is likely to settle without anyone actually getting filled yet.
All iceberg orders and certain bracket orders get canceled when the pair transitions into auction mode. Once the minimum 10-minute window closes and the auction price is set, matched orders execute at that single clearing price. After that, the pair moves into normal continuous trading where bids and asks match in real time.
Brazil is the play Coinbase introduced direct USDC-BRL trading for Brazilian users around July 24, just a few days before the auction announcement on July 28. The rollout is being phased across Coinbase’s various interfaces, including the main Coinbase app and Advanced Trade.
The auction mechanism itself is not new territory for Coinbase. The exchange has been running similar auctions since at least 2021, deploying them for pairs like tGBP-USDC and TURBO-USD.
What this means for investors No immediate volume data or market impact figures have been reported yet. The real test will be whether USDC-BRL trading volumes grow meaningfully over the coming weeks, which would validate Coinbase’s thesis that Brazil deserves dedicated stablecoin infrastructure rather than just dollar-denominated workarounds.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
Bithumb will suspend deposit and withdrawal services for NEO and GAS to support the NEO N3 network upgrade.
According to an official announcement, to support the NEO network upgrade and maintain stable deposit and withdrawal services, deposit and withdrawal functions for NEO (NEO) and GAS (GAS) assets will be temporarily suspended. The suspension covers NEO and GAS on the NEO N3 network. The relevant deposit and withdrawal services are expected to be suspended at 18:00 KST on July 31, 2026, and will resume after network stability is confirmed; the specific resumption time will be notified via subsequent announcements. The suspension is to support the NEO network upgrade and Bithumb’s node server update. The NEO network upgrade is scheduled to take place at 01:00 KST on August 1, 2026, targeting block height 12,020,000. During the upgrade, trading functions for the relevant assets remain unaffected, though users should note potential market fluctuations during network maintenance. Pending deposit and withdrawal requests submitted earlier will be processed in sequence after system confirmation.
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ZuriQ completes $25.5 million seed round to advance development of its novel quantum chip architecture.
ETH Zurich spin-off startup ZuriQ has announced the completion of a $25.5 million seed round. The company is dedicated to developing a novel quantum chip architecture, which is claimed to offer stronger scalability than existing solutions, and is expected to accelerate the large-scale development of the quantum computing sector.
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South Korea's sluggish stock market has driven retail investors to shift to the US stock market, with net purchases exceeding 5 trillion won this month.
According to South Korea's Seoul Economic Daily, amid the continued downturn in the South Korean stock market, domestic investors have once again shifted to US equities, with net purchases exceeding 5 trillion won this month. Data from Seibro, the securities information portal of the Korea Securities Depository & Clearing Corporation, shows that between the 1st and 27th of this month, South Korean investors' net purchases of US stocks totaled $3.58999 billion, roughly 5.5 times the net purchases for the entire month of June. As of the 23rd, net purchases stood at only $2.53026 billion, but rose by $1.05973 billion in the subsequent two trading days. Retail investor funds are mainly concentrated in semiconductor and technology stocks. The most purchased product this month is the Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X ETF, which tracks the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index, with net purchases reaching $1.75919 billion. SK Hynix ADRs have also remained highly sought-after, with net purchases climbing to $812.38 million as of the 27th.
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Yesterday, Bitcoin spot ETFs posted a net outflow of $11.6 million, while Ethereum spot ETFs saw a net inflow of $11.7 million.
According to data from Farside Investors, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs saw a total net outflow of $11.6 million yesterday. BlackRock’s IBIT recorded a net outflow of $8.8 million, while Fidelity’s FBTC posted a $2.8 million net outflow; all other Bitcoin ETFs had zero net flows for the day. U.S. spot Ethereum ETFs, meanwhile, saw a total net inflow of $11.7 million yesterday. BlackRock’s ETHA accounted for the full $11.7 million daily net inflow, with all other Ethereum ETFs registering zero net flows for the day.
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SOON has completed its security incident review, confirming that neither the protocol nor user assets were affected, and its mainnet RPC has been restored.
Solana Optimistic Network (SOON) announced that the security incident detected on July 12 has been fully investigated and resolved. The incident did not involve vulnerabilities in the SOON protocol, sequencer, or user-facing smart contracts, and no user funds were lost. SOON noted the root cause was a security issue in its off-chain operational environment. According to third-party security firm BlockSec, external attackers gained unauthorized access via a misconfigured service, then penetrated parts of the internal environment due to insufficient access controls. The incident was limited to certain operational infrastructure and related processes, with no impact on on-chain user assets, user smart contracts, or SOON network security. Post-incident, SOON suspended its sequencer and some services and launched a full security review. During this period, functions including NFT minting, token claiming, and on-chain withdrawals were temporarily disabled. SOON restored NFT minting and token claiming on July 21, and resumed mainnet RPC services and block production on July 27. The network has now returned to normal operation.
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Binance Flash Swap will undergo regular system maintenance on August 2, expected to be completed within one hour.
According to an official announcement, Binance’s Flash Swap will undergo scheduled system maintenance at 07:30 (GMT+8, East Eight Zone Time) on August 2, 2026. During the maintenance window, users will be unable to place new Flash Swap orders or limit orders. Existing recurring investment orders may be skipped due to the system upgrade, and the maintenance is expected to be completed within one hour.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
The stablecoin market contracted in June 2026 even as transaction activity reached a record.
Summary
$7.7 billion left stablecoins in June, cutting total market capitalization to approximately $312 billion overall. $1.79 trillion in adjusted June transfers marked a record, rising 63% from May levels overall. USDC processed about $1.21 trillion, while USDT handled roughly $576 billion in June’s adjusted dataset. CoinDesk Data reported on July 6 that market capitalization fell 2.39%, or about $7.7 billion, to $312 billion. It was the first month-end decline in five months and the largest monthly dollar reduction since the Terra-Luna collapse in May 2022.
The supply decline did not produce a matching fall in on-chain activity. Visa’s Allium-powered dashboard recorded $1.79 trillion in adjusted transaction volume for June, up 63% from May and 125% from June 2025. USDC accounted for about $1.21 trillion, compared with roughly $576 billion for USDT.
As previously reported, the market had fallen roughly $10 billion below its May peak by mid-July. DefiLlama’s stablecoin dashboard placed total capitalization at about $309.9 billion on July 28, down 0.79% over 30 days. USDT remained the largest token at roughly $183.9 billion, while USDC stood near $73.7 billion.
The stablecoin market decline was modest, not Terra-like The phrase “biggest drop since Terra” describes the dollar amount of the June decline, not the severity of the event. A 2.39% monthly contraction was far smaller than the 2022 collapse. CoinGecko found that the leading stablecoins lost $33.9 billion, or almost one-fifth of their value, during the second quarter of 2022 as UST failed and wider crypto credit markets broke down.
June 2026 also lacked the defining feature of the Terra crisis: a major market-wide depeg. DefiLlama showed both USDT and USDC trading close to $1 on July 28. The contraction occurred through lower circulating supply rather than a comparable collapse in token prices.
Data providers report different totals because they track different assets and apply different classification rules. CoinDesk Data measured the market at $312 billion at the end of June. CoinGecko’s Q2 industry report put the quarter-end total at $305.1 billion and reported a $4.8 billion, or 1.6%, quarterly decline. CoinGecko described it as the first quarterly contraction since Q3 2023.
That distinction makes the claim that the market shrank “for the first time in four years” too broad. CoinDesk Data recorded the first monthly decline in five months, while CoinGecko recorded the first quarterly decline since Q3 2023. Both datasets show a pullback, but neither supports treating June as the first contraction of any kind since Terra.
Record volume shows faster turnover, not only payments Visa’s adjusted transaction figure is more useful than raw blockchain volume, but it is not a pure payments measure. The dashboard removes known bot activity, intra-exchange transfers, redundant smart-contract movements and wallets that cross high-frequency or high-volume thresholds. It also counts only the largest stablecoin amount transferred within a complex transaction.
However, Visa’s adjusted categories still include exchange deposits and withdrawals, decentralized exchange trades, lending, investment funds, minting and burning, and on- and off-ramp activity. The $1.79 trillion total therefore measures filtered economic movement. It should not be described as $1.79 trillion of purchases, remittances or merchant settlement.
The June data still show a clear divergence between supply and usage. USDC moved about $1.21 trillion despite having less than half USDT’s circulating supply. USDT handled roughly $576 billion while remaining the larger token by market capitalization. As previously reported, USDC has built a sustained lead over USDT in adjusted transfer value.
A smaller float can support greater volume when each token changes hands more often. June’s record, combined with lower supply, is consistent with rising turnover. It does not identify who sent the money, why it moved or whether the activity generated payment revenue.
A separate McKinsey and Artemis analysis shows the measurement gap. The firms estimated identifiable stablecoin payments at about $390 billion during 2025, or roughly 0.02% of global payment volume. B2B payments accounted for about $226 billion, while much of the wider on-chain total came from trading, internal transfers and automated activity. Stablecoin usage is growing, but filtered blockchain movement and real-world payments remain different datasets.
Yield products may explain only part of the shift The expansion of tokenized Treasury products offers a plausible destination for some capital leaving non-yielding stablecoins. RWA.xyz placed tokenized U.S. Treasury value at about $16.2 billion in late July. DefiLlama listed Circle’s USYC near $3 billion and BlackRock’s BUIDL near $2.64 billion on July 28.
The rotation argument has an economic basis. Payment stablecoins aim to maintain a fixed value and generally do not pass reserve income directly to holders. Tokenized Treasury funds can provide exposure to short-term government debt while remaining on-chain. Treasurers may therefore hold idle balances in yield products and convert into stablecoins nearer to settlement.
Still, public data do not prove that the full $7.7 billion decline moved into tokenized funds. Aggregate growth cannot trace every subscription. Capital may also have returned to bank deposits, funded crypto sales, moved between excluded categories or left digital-asset markets.
CoinDesk Data found that total tokenized asset capitalization rose 1.75% to $30.1 billion in June while stablecoin supply fell. That supports a broader shift toward tokenized financial products, but it does not establish a direct one-for-one transfer.
CoinGecko also found that some yield-linked crypto dollars contracted during Q2. USDS fell 16.4%, while USDe declined 24.4%. CoinGecko attributed the reductions partly to yields falling below the risk-free rate and users unstaking related products. The evidence points to selective rotation rather than a uniform move into yield.
U.S. rules and July issuance will shape the next move The regulatory backdrop remains unfinished. The GENIUS Act was enacted on July 18, 2025 and created a federal framework for payment stablecoin issuers. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s proposed rules cover reserves, redemption, risk management, reporting, custody and supervision.
The law is scheduled to take effect on January 18, 2027, or 120 days after federal regulators issue final implementing rules, whichever comes first. Regulators had not completed the full rulebook by July 28. As crypto.news reported, the one-year rulemaking deadline passed with multiple proposals awaiting final action.
One live deadline concerns customer identification. A joint federal proposal would require permitted payment stablecoin issuers to establish risk-based procedures for identifying and verifying customers. Comments are due by August 21, 2026.
The FDIC also issued proposed reporting forms on July 17, with comments due 60 days after publication in the Federal Register. These filings would establish regular financial and operational reporting for payment stablecoin issuers under FDIC supervision.
These rules may change where stablecoins are issued and held. They can also affect competition between U.S.-oriented products such as USDC and offshore-focused products such as USDT. In related coverage, industry groups disputed whether proposed rules extend yield restrictions too far toward third-party reward programmes.
The next evidence will come from issuer mint-and-burn data, month-end supply, peg stability and adjusted transaction volume. A return to net issuance would support the view that June was temporary. Continued redemptions would point to a longer contraction in on-chain dollar liquidity.
June supports two conclusions at once. Stablecoin supply weakened, but the remaining tokens moved at a record adjusted rate. Market capitalization measures the size of the float, while adjusted volume measures how actively it circulates. Neither metric can replace the other.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
Circle just dropped another half-billion dollars worth of USDC onto Solana, and at this point it’s starting to feel like a recurring calendar event. The stablecoin issuer minted $500 million in new USDC on the Solana blockchain in July, executed in two neat tranches of $250 million each.
Here’s the thing: this isn’t a one-off. It’s the latest chapter in what’s become a sustained liquidity migration toward Solana that’s been building throughout 2026, with Circle simultaneously burning USDC on other chains, notably Ethereum.
The numbers behind the shift The $500 million mint, flagged by on-chain monitoring services like Whale Alert and Onchain Lens, pushed even more dollar-denominated liquidity into Solana’s trading and DeFi infrastructure. A similar $500 million single-day mint occurred earlier on June 8, suggesting Circle has found a comfortable cadence for these large-scale issuances.
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By mid-July, cumulative USDC minting on Solana had exceeded $66 billion in gross issuance. That’s not net supply, mind you. It’s the total volume of USDC that Circle has created on the network over time, which includes tokens that have since been burned or bridged elsewhere.
Solana’s share of the global USDC supply has briefly climbed above 10% during peak periods in 2026. For a network that only received native USDC issuance starting in late 2020, that’s a remarkable trajectory.
Why Circle keeps choosing Solana Circle’s minting decisions are demand-driven. When traders and institutions need more USDC on a particular chain, Circle mints to meet that demand. The fact that these $250 million tranches keep landing on Solana tells you where the activity is migrating.
The relationship between Circle and Solana dates back to a formal partnership with the Solana Foundation that enabled native USDC issuance on the platform. Since then, Circle has progressively increased its minting allocation to Solana, especially as the network’s DeFi ecosystem matured and attracted more institutional capital.
What this means for traders and the broader market More stablecoins on a network generally translates to deeper liquidity pools, tighter spreads, and better execution for traders. When $500 million in fresh USDC hits Solana’s DeFi protocols, it flows into automated market makers, lending platforms, and perpetual futures venues that form the backbone of on-chain trading.
For now, the arrows point firmly toward Solana continuing to absorb a growing share of the global stablecoin supply, with each $500 million mint reinforcing the network’s position as a primary venue for dollar-denominated on-chain activity.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
Circle, the company behind the USDC stablecoin, has acquired IBM’s blockchain patent portfolio in a move designed to fortify its enterprise blockchain capabilities and protect its growing digital asset ecosystem.
What Circle is getting IBM has been one of the most aggressive blockchain patent filers in the world. During its peak years of 2018 and 2019, the tech giant filed over 500 blockchain-related patents, building a massive intellectual property fortress that spanned everything from consensus mechanisms to enterprise supply chain solutions.
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That portfolio now belongs to Circle. The financial terms of the acquisition haven’t been publicly disclosed.
Circle was already moving in this direction. The company was granted its own patent for parallel block processing back in December 2023, a technology designed to improve transaction throughput by processing multiple blocks simultaneously.
The patent protection play Circle has been acutely aware of patent litigation threat. The company joined the LOT Network, a collaborative defensive patent initiative, in both 2023 and 2025. The LOT Network now encompasses more than 3.8 million patents across over 2,800 members. Both Circle and IBM are members.
The network works like a mutual defense pact. If any member’s patents end up in the hands of a patent troll, other members automatically receive a license to those patents.
IBM’s evolving blockchain strategy One notable example is IBM’s partnership with IPwe, which launched in early 2021. That collaboration explored tokenizing corporate patents as NFTs on blockchain networks, essentially turning intellectual property into tradeable digital assets.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
USDC issuer Circle to acquire nearly 1,000 IBM blockchain patentsIBM’s blockchain portfolio includes more than 680 patent families and nearly 1,000 issued patents worldwide, with a particular focus in supply chain applications.
Circle will acquire IBM’s blockchain patent portfolio, the USDC (USDC) issuer said on Monday.
No financial details for the transaction were disclosed in Circle’s announcement. CRCL stock price was up more than 2% in premarket activity on Monday following the announcement, according to Yahoo Finance data.
The portfolio comprises more than 680 patent families and nearly 1,000 issued patents worldwide. Circle said the acquisition positions it as the leader in blockchain patent holdings in the United States, with an intellectual property position that directly supports the fintech’s foundation for building the internet financial system.
IBM’s blockchain focus has leaned heavily into supply chain applications, which seek to increase transparency in tracking products across numerous intermediaries. In recent years, it has slowed its patent filings from peak years 2018-2019, when more than 500 blockchain-related patents were filed, research firm GreyB said.
“IBM has been a pioneer in technological innovation, and this acquisition expands Circle’s ability to advance the infrastructure that powers global, internet-native finance,” said Sarah Wilson, general counsel and corporate secretary at Circle.
Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently.
USDC issuer Circle to acquire nearly 1,000 IBM blockchain patentsIBM’s blockchain portfolio includes more than 680 patent families and nearly 1,000 issued patents worldwide, with a particular focus in supply chain applications.
Circle will acquire IBM’s blockchain patent portfolio, the USDC (USDC) issuer said on Monday.
No financial details for the transaction were disclosed in Circle’s announcement. CRCL stock price was up more than 2% in premarket activity on Monday following the announcement, according to Yahoo Finance data.
The portfolio comprises more than 680 patent families and nearly 1,000 issued patents worldwide. Circle said the acquisition positions it as the leader in blockchain patent holdings in the United States, with an intellectual property position that directly supports the fintech’s foundation for building the internet financial system.
IBM’s blockchain focus has leaned heavily into supply chain applications, which seek to increase transparency in tracking products across numerous intermediaries. In recent years, it has slowed its patent filings from peak years 2018-2019, when more than 500 blockchain-related patents were filed, research firm GreyB said.
“IBM has been a pioneer in technological innovation, and this acquisition expands Circle’s ability to advance the infrastructure that powers global, internet-native finance,” said Sarah Wilson, general counsel and corporate secretary at Circle.
Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently.
Circle Internet Group bought the core of IBM’s blockchain patent estate on Monday, taking more than 680 patent families and nearly 1,000 issued patents worldwide. Neither company disclosed the price.
CRCL stock traded near $63.60 in premarket dealing, roughly 2% above its $62.36 close on Friday. The purchase lands nine days before Circle reports second-quarter results.
Circle Stock (CRCL) Stock Performance. Source: Google FinanceWhat Circle Bought From IBM’s Blockchain Patent PortfolioThe assets cover foundational blockchain technology, banking, financial services, insurance, supply chain verification, and secure cloud operations. Circle said the deal makes it the largest holder of blockchain patents in the United States.
Circle has acquired fundamental assets from the @IBM blockchain patent portfolio, including 680+ patent families and nearly 1,000 issued patents worldwide.
The acquisition makes Circle the leading U.S. blockchain patent holder and strengthens the foundation behind USDC, CPN,… pic.twitter.com/lp6F6z55aw
— Circle (@circle) July 27, 2026 That claim has a traceable foundation. Patent Sight data published by Statista already ranked IBM first among owners of active US blockchain patent families in 2022, ahead of Ant Group.
In other words, Circle did not simply add patents. It bought the estate that held the top American position, and the top spot moved with it.
Key Numbers Behind the Circle IBM DealThe portfolio now sits underneath USDC, the Circle Payments Network, and Arc, its enterprise blockchain. Circle and IBM said they would explore further commercial work.
“Intellectual property is critical to advancing our mission and expanding adoption of on-chain infrastructure. IBM has been a pioneer in technological innovation, and this acquisition expands Circle’s ability to advance the infrastructure that powers global, internet-native finance,” Sarah Wilson, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Circle, in the company statement.
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Why CRCL Stock Rose Only 2% on the IBM Patent DealA 2% premarket bid is a muted response, and the comparison set explains why. Circle spiked as much as 15% intraday on July 10 when the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency cleared its national trust bank, then closed up 5%.
Regulatory wins move this stock. Undisclosed patent purchases do not.
Investors also have no number to model. Circle carried $2.86 billion in trailing revenue and a $14.3 million net loss into the quarter, so a material cash outlay would be visible on August 5.
IBM shares rose roughly 1.8% premarket to $218. A patent sale of undisclosed size would not move a company of that scale, so the two moves should not be read as one trade.
IBM Stock Performance. Source: Google FinanceSentiment now sits far below the sell-side. Twenty-seven analysts still average a $120.76 price target, nearly double Friday’s close, despite Circle’s post-IPO stock collapse from a $263.45 record close.
EventDateCRCL reactionIPO priced at $31June 5, 2025Closed first session at $83.23OCC trust bank approvalJuly 10, 2026Closed up 5% at $66.14Visa stablecoin platform launchJuly 16, 2026Fell 7.7% to $60.64IBM patent acquisitionJuly 27, 2026Up about 2% premarketCircle Stock Reaction to Different EventsThe Open USD Problem These Patents Do Not FixHere is the detail that sharpens the story. IBM appears on the Open Standard partner list, alongside Visa, Mastercard, BlackRock, Google, Stripe, and Coinbase.
Open Standard launched Open USD on June 30 with more than 140 backers. The token returns almost all reserve income to distributors after a management fee, and charges nothing to mint or redeem.
That design targets the exact revenue line Circle depends on. Mizuho analyst Dan Dolev cut Circle to underperform on July 14 and slashed his target to $50 from $85, citing the pass-through model.
His 2027 adjusted EBITDA estimate fell to $699 million from $1.09 billion. JPMorgan trimmed its own Circle numbers the same day, pointing to weak second-quarter crypto activity.
Visa then made the threat operational. Its Stablecoin Platform, announced July 16, gives institutions minting and redemption access starting with Open USD, according to the company release.
So Circle has bought foundational blockchain IP from a company that is simultaneously helping build the consortium competing for payment distribution. Patents raise the cost of copying Circle’s stack. They do not restore reserve yield or win back distribution.
What To Watch Over the Next 30 DaysFour things will show whether this deal is substance or signal.
First, the August 5 results. Look for the consideration paid, any new intangible asset line, and management commentary on how the patents will be used.
Second, the Coinbase distribution agreement, which Mizuho flagged as due for renewal in August. That contract governs how much USDC reserve income Circle keeps.
Third, any move from defense to offense. Circle has not said whether it intends to license or assert these claims against anyone building competing rails.
Fourth, the IBM relationship. The two companies flagged further commercial work without naming a product, a timeline, or a customer.
Until then, technical work still points to a drop toward $40 if support fails. Does owning the patents behind on-chain finance matter if a 140-member consortium simply builds around them?
@MoonPay has partnered with @Tempo to deploy $USDC.e and $PathUSD through its Ramp and Virtual Account systems globally, making MoonPay the official fiat on-ramp for the Tempo ecosystem. The deal also brings MoonPay Headless directly into the Tempo Wallet, letting users switch between fiat and digital currencies in a single step.
A Blockchain Built for Enterprise Payments Tempo is no ordinary blockchain project. Incubated by Stripe and Paradigm, Tempo was built from the ground up for enterprise payment teams rather than general-purpose trading or DeFi. The network is engineered to handle more than 100,000 transactions per second with sub-second finality. Tempo has teamed with a handful of major firms for early design collaboration and payments use cases, including Visa, Shopify, and OpenAI. More recently, DoorDash announced plans to use the Stripe-backed blockchain to pay its delivery workers in stablecoins.
Settlement with stablecoins can be done in seconds, reducing the foreign currency spreads and intermediary fees that typically slow cross-border payments. DoorDash cited Tempo's "payments focus and enterprise readiness" as the primary reason for choosing it over competing stablecoin infrastructure options.
What the MoonPay Integration Adds By becoming the official on-ramp for the Tempo ecosystem, MoonPay plugs a key gap in the network's user journey. Deploying $USDC.e and $PathUSD within its Ramp and Virtual Account systems means that retail users, not just enterprises, can now move money onto the Tempo network with minimal friction. The integration of MoonPay Headless into the Tempo Wallet is designed to make that transition seamless, requiring no separate steps or third-party redirects to convert fiat into digital currency.
The partnership reflects a broader trend of established payment infrastructure players converging on Tempo as a shared settlement layer. Visa is an active validator on the network, Mastercard is a program partner, and global banks are building tokenized settlement infrastructure on top of it. Adding MoonPay's on-ramp capabilities to that stack further closes the loop between traditional finance and on-chain stablecoin payments.
Sources:
Decrypt: DoorDash to Pay Delivery Workers in Stablecoins via Stripe's Tempo Blockchain
Tempo Blog: Enterprise Payments on Tempo
Sarson Funds: Tempo Blockchain Analysis
MoonPay has quietly expanded its stablecoin roster, announcing a partnership with Tempo, a payments-focused blockchain incubated by Paradigm and Stripe, to support USDC.E and PATHUSD across its on-ramp, off-ramp, and virtual account services.
What the partnership actually does MoonPay handles the messy middle layer between traditional banking rails and the crypto economy. It lets users convert dollars, euros, and other fiat currencies into digital assets without touching a centralized exchange.
Adding USDC.E and PATHUSD to that pipeline means users can now move directly from fiat into Tempo’s native asset environment, no bridge required, no manual swap needed.
USDC.E is an Ethereum-linked variant of Circle’s USDC, designed to operate within specific blockchain environments while maintaining dollar parity. PATHUSD is Tempo’s own native stablecoin, introduced as a core settlement asset on the Tempo network.
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Tempo itself is built for high-throughput payment use cases. The network supports stablecoin-native gas fees, meaning users pay transaction costs in stablecoins rather than a volatile native token. It also includes built-in decentralized exchange functionality, which handles asset conversions natively without routing through external protocols.
Tempo recently launched its public testnet, placing this MoonPay partnership in an early but strategically timed window.
Why Tempo’s backers matter here Paradigm is one of the most influential crypto-native venture firms in the space. Stripe’s re-entry into crypto infrastructure, after stepping back from Bitcoin payments years ago, has been methodical and pointed.
Stripe’s involvement signals that Tempo is not purely a crypto-native experiment. It is designed with real-world payment use cases at its core, including merchant settlements, payroll, and cross-border transfers.
MoonPay has run this playbook before. The company previously integrated stablecoin support through partnerships with Hyperliquid and Deel, each focused on reducing friction for a specific user segment. Hyperliquid served the active trading community. Deel served the global payroll and contractor payments market. Tempo appears aimed at the merchant and institutional settlement layer.
What this means for stablecoin infrastructure By integrating PATHUSD into MoonPay’s virtual account infrastructure, Tempo gains access to a fiat gateway that already serves a large existing user base. New users arriving on Tempo do not need to figure out how to acquire PATHUSD through secondary markets. They can simply buy it directly through MoonPay using a debit card or bank transfer.
Tempo’s architecture, where gas is paid in stablecoins and the native DEX handles conversions internally, reflects a design philosophy that treats stablecoins as the baseline rather than an add-on.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
Circle Internet Group has acquired more than 680 IBM patent families containing nearly 1,000 issued patents worldwide.
Summary
Circle acquired nearly 1,000 IBM patents spanning blockchain, payments, banking, insurance, supply chains and cloud. Circle says the expanded portfolio supports USDC, Payments Network, Arc and its agentic finance tools. Financial terms remain undisclosed, while Circle and IBM plan to explore further commercial opportunities together. The portfolio covers blockchain infrastructure, banking, payments, insurance, enterprise systems, supply-chain verification and secure cloud operations. Circle announced the transaction on July 27 but did not disclose its price or other financial terms.
In its official announcement, Circle said the deal made it the “leader in blockchain patent holdings in the United States.” That remains the company’s claim. Circle did not publish a full patent list, ranking method or independent comparison with other U.S. holders.
Patent portfolio broadens Circle’s infrastructure position A patent family groups related filings that protect one invention across different countries. Therefore, 680 families and nearly 1,000 issued patents do not represent 1,000 separate technologies. The acquired rights still give Circle a larger intellectual-property base across several areas used in digital finance.
Circle has acquired fundamental assets from the @IBM blockchain patent portfolio, including 680+ patent families and nearly 1,000 issued patents worldwide.
The acquisition makes Circle the leading U.S. blockchain patent holder and strengthens the foundation behind USDC, CPN,… pic.twitter.com/lp6F6z55aw
— Circle (@circle) July 27, 2026 Circle did not identify which patents directly apply to stablecoin issuance, cross-border settlement or blockchain networks. It also did not explain whether IBM retained licences, regional rights or other permissions connected to the portfolio.
Circle general counsel Sarah Wilson said intellectual property was “critical” to the company’s mission and its effort to expand onchain infrastructure. The statement describes Circle’s intended use, but patents alone do not confirm that a product will gain users, pass regulatory checks or generate revenue.
Deal supports USDC, CPN and Arc strategy Circle said the portfolio will support USDC, Circle Payments Network, Arc and its onchain products. CPN connects participating financial institutions so they can communicate and settle payments directly, while Circle provides the network’s technology layer.
Arc forms another part of that strategy. Circle designed the blockchain for stablecoin payments, foreign exchange, treasury activity and capital markets. As crypto.news previously reported, Arc uses stablecoins for transaction fees and targets faster settlement with features built for financial institutions.
Circle’s 2026 product roadmap places Arc, USDC, developer tools and CPN inside one platform. The company plans to use Arc as a coordination layer for payments, foreign exchange and capital flows. The IBM patents could help Circle protect parts of that stack or negotiate licences.
However, Circle has not said whether the acquisition will change any current product, reduce development costs or produce licensing income. It has also not announced legal action against other blockchain companies.
Agentic finance adds another use case Circle also linked the patent purchase to its agentic finance tools. In May, the company launched Circle Agent Stack, a set of services for software agents that can hold funds, follow spending rules and pay for digital resources.
The stack includes agent wallets, a service marketplace, command-line tools and USDC nanopayments. Circle says the system can process transfers as small as $0.000001 through Circle Gateway. It also supports standards such as x402, allowing software to pay for data, computing or online services without manual checkout.
As crypto.news reported, Circle has tied Arc and USDC to AI-focused payment infrastructure. That coverage said Arc’s testnet had processed more than 244 million transactions by May, while Circle continued building wallets and payment tools for automated applications.
The IBM portfolio includes patents tied to secure cloud operations and enterprise infrastructure, which may overlap with systems used by autonomous financial software. Circle has not named the relevant patents or explained how they will fit into Agent Stack.
IBM deal adds protection as competition grows Circle faces competition across stablecoins, payment networks and purpose-built blockchains. Banks, fintech companies and crypto firms are developing their own tokens, settlement systems and machine-payment products. As crypto.news reported in July, more than 140 companies backed Open USD, a model that shares stablecoin economics with network participants.
Circle can use patents defensively against infringement claims or in cross-licensing talks. It could also license the patents to other companies. The announcement did not commit to either approach or state whether Circle expects direct income.
IBM and Circle plan to explore further commercial opportunities after the transfer. Neither company described those possible projects. The statement also did not say whether IBM will use Circle products, join CPN or build on Arc.
The deal also shows Circle buying mature enterprise research instead of developing every technical component internally, although the company did not explain its integration schedule.
The acquisition gives Circle ownership of a broad set of issued patents as it expands beyond stablecoin issuance. The next details may come through product integrations, licensing agreements or company filings. Until then, the portfolio’s commercial value remains unreported.
Stablecoin issuer Circle announced it has acquired nearly 1,000 licensed blockchain-related patents from IBM, a deal that will make Circle one of the largest blockchain patent holders in the U.S. The acquisition covers over 680 patent families spanning blockchain technology, banking, financial services, insurance, enterprise infrastructure, supply chain verification, and cloud security. Details including the transaction value and whether IBM retains related patent licenses have not been disclosed. Circle said the intellectual property assets will support the development of USDC, Circle Payments Network, the Arc blockchain, and financial tools for AI agents. The two parties also plan to further explore business collaboration opportunities. Sarah Wilson, Circle’s general counsel, noted that intellectual property is critical to advancing on-chain infrastructure development and scaling its applications. IBM has long ranked among the top blockchain patent holders in the U.S. Data from patent analytics firm PatSnap shows that as of the end of 2025, IBM held around 790 blockchain patents. Circle obtained its first blockchain patent in December 2023 and had previously joined the LOT Network to mitigate patent litigation risks. Following this acquisition, Circle has further strengthened its technical reserves in the blockchain infrastructure sector.
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Wall Street investment bank TD Cowen has cut the price target for Bitcoin treasury company Nakamoto Inc. (NASDAQ: NAKA), slashing the post-stock-split adjusted target from $40 to $17—a 58% reduction—while retaining its "Buy" rating. TD Cowen analysts said the adjustment is mainly driven by pressure from Bitcoin price declines on Nakamoto’s highly leveraged capital structure. While the new target still implies around 275% upside from the current share price of $4.65, the stock is highly sensitive to Bitcoin price swings. TD Cowen forecasts Bitcoin will rebound to $100,000 by the end of 2026, roughly 25% below its all-time high of $126,000 set last October. The firm also expects Nakamoto to pause further Bitcoin purchases before 2027. Analysts noted that Nakamoto’s core value still stems from its Bitcoin holdings: the company currently holds 4,467 BTC worth approximately $290 million, ranking 22nd among public companies globally in Bitcoin holdings. However, its debt and preferred stock financing structure has eroded the asset value available to common shareholders. Recently, Nakamoto has completed several financial adjustments, including repaying roughly $45 million in debt, extending the maturity of $105 million in principal to June 2027, reducing financing costs, and approving a $25 million share repurchase program. Additionally, the company has shut down its previously operated medical clinic business and will focus on Bitcoin media, asset management, and advisory services going forward. Data shows NAKA’s share price has fallen more than 71% year-to-date, while Bitcoin has dropped around 26% over the same period. Market attention is shifting from "continuous BTC purchases" to the balance sheet structure and financing capabilities of Bitcoin treasury companies.
37 minutes ago
Registrations for Trump’s account top 7 million, U.S. Treasury Secretary hails it as "the most successful launch project in government history"
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has dubbed Trump Accounts "the most successful launch project in U.S. government history," disclosing that roughly 7 million children have already registered for the initiative. Bessent made the remarks at a meeting of the Financial Literacy and Education Commission, noting that the number of registrants has risen from 6.5 million earlier this month. The U.S. Treasury Department added that the early sign-up rate for Trump Accounts outpaces that of other digital platforms and financial products. Launched on July 4, the program – also known as 530A accounts – is open to all U.S. children under 18 who hold a Social Security number. Under the plan, children born between 2025 and 2028 will receive a one-time $1,000 initial deposit from the U.S. Treasury. Parents, guardians, and grandparents can contribute up to $5,000 annually, with funds invested in ETFs tracking the S&P 500 index. Bessent stated that the project will help ordinary U.S. families access capital markets, "creating a new generation of shareholders" and enabling households long excluded from Wall Street to participate in stock investing. Consultancy McKinsey previously analyzed that with broad participation, Trump Accounts could accumulate approximately $80 billion to over $900 billion in assets for U.S. children over the next decade, though the final scale will depend on family participation rates, willingness to make ongoing contributions, and long-term investment performance.
37 minutes ago
NVIDIA and OpenAI are developing a planned $500 billion AI data center project, with a 10GW capacity that could make it the world's largest.
According to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), citing people familiar with the matter, NVIDIA and OpenAI are in talks for a mega AI data center project worth approximately $500 billion, located in southern Ohio, United States. The project is expected to have a maximum power capacity of 10GW, potentially becoming the world’s largest data center initiative. Reports state that NVIDIA may provide around $250 billion in funding to OpenAI for leasing a data center campus developed by SBEnergy, the energy subsidiary of SoftBank. The total cost of the project is projected to exceed $500 billion, including up to $350 billion for AI chip procurement. The first phase of the data center is scheduled for completion in 2028, with an initial power capacity of roughly 800MW. If fully implemented, its 10GW power scale will far outpace most current large-scale AI infrastructure projects, equivalent to meeting the electricity needs of around 8.4 million U.S. households. The project’s power resources are located on U.S. federal land and are jointly supported by the U.S. and Japan. Japan previously pledged $33 billion in investments for related energy infrastructure in exchange for reduced tariff arrangements. As demand for AI computing power continues to surge, NVIDIA is accelerating its expansion into large-scale AI infrastructure, forging deep partnerships with companies including OpenAI, Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon. If the project moves forward, it will further solidify NVIDIA’s core position in the AI computing power supply chain and push global AI infrastructure into a "trillion-dollar-level" competitive phase.
Circle said its expanded blockchain patent portfolio will strengthen infrastructure supporting USDC, Circle Payments Network, Arc, and agentic financial tools.
USDC issuer Circle Internet Group has acquired assets from IBM’s blockchain patent portfolio in a bid to expand its intellectual property holdings.
The portfolio includes more than 680 patent families and nearly 1,000 issued patents worldwide covering core blockchain technology, banking, financial services, insurance, enterprise infrastructure, supply chain verification, and secure cloud operations.
The financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
IBM Patent Deal Circle said the acquisition makes it the largest holder of blockchain patents in the United States. According to the stablecoin issuer, the expanded patent portfolio will support products including USDC, Circle Payments Network, Arc, as well as its lineup of on-chain products and agentic financial tools. The two companies also plan to pursue further business opportunities together.
Weighing in on the development, Circle’s General Counsel and Corporate Secretary Sarah Wilson said,
“Intellectual property is critical to advancing our mission and expanding adoption of on-chain infrastructure. IBM has been a pioneer in technological innovation, and this acquisition expands Circle’s ability to advance the infrastructure that powers global, internet-native finance.”
The latest development comes more than three years after the company joined the LOT Network, a global nonprofit that helps protect members from patent lawsuits brought by Patent Assertion Entities (PAEs). The main objective was to lower legal risks while supporting the development of blockchain-based products and services.
Later that year, it secured its first patent for Parallel Block Processing, which enables multiple pieces of information to be processed simultaneously while maintaining the serial validation of blocks.
You may also like: EURC’s Record Network Growth Could Signal a Major Shift in Europe’s Crypto Economy Circle Receives Final Green Light to Establish National Trust Bank Standard Chartered Becomes First Major Bank to Offer Direct Stablecoin Services Other Initiatives Earlier this month, Circle received approval from the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to roll out First National Digital Currency Bank, N.A., which will operate as Circle National Trust. The charter will allow the stablecoin issuer to provide fiduciary crypto custody services and is expected to eventually manage USDC reserves under OCC supervision. Over time, custody services may also become available to a limited group of institutional clients.
It also joined the Linux Foundation’s x402 Foundation as a premier member, along with other industry players such as Ripple, Coinbase, and Solana Foundation, among others. The initiative aims to support the development of an open standard for internet-native payments that enables AI agents, APIs, and applications to transact over HTTP.
Separately, BNY Mellon expanded its partnership with Circle by adding USDC to its Digital Asset Custody platform. This integration lets institutional clients store, transfer, mint, and redeem the stablecoin while strengthening the bank’s role as the primary custodian of USDC reserves.
